KHAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would introduce modern techniques for excavation of minerals in tribal districts, said Provincial Minister for Mines and Mineral Development Dr Amjad Ali.

Addressing a jirga of elders here on Monday, he said that tribal district had vast reserves of precious stones, chromites, marbles and several other minerals. However, he said that previous governments didn’t take any step for development of the sector in the tribal districts.

He said that incumbent provincial government had planned to promote the sector in tribal districts by supporting local community and introducing modern techniques for exploration and excavation of minerals.

The minister said that 50 per cent minerals were wasted in traditional execution. He said that almost all countries were using modern techniques for exploration and execution of minerals.

He said that the natural minerals were enough to boost economy of tribal districts. He said that tribal districts were the only areas of the country where the most precious minerals were found in a large quantity.

Dr Amjad rejected the impression that provincial government had planned to occupy the mineral mines in the tribal districts, saying that government had no such plan.

However, he said that government was planning to regularise mines across the tribal districts. After the regularisation of the mines, he said, production of minerals would be increased significantly.

The minister said that local community would be taken into confident about lease of mines. He said that reasonable reality would be given to the local community in case outsiders were awarded lease of mines in lease.

Senior officials of the local administration and the local lawmakers were also present on the occasion. They briefed the minister about the problems being faced in the execution of minerals.

Later, the minister also visited mines of different minerals in Baramg and Utmankhel areas. He was told that both the areas were rich in various sorts of minerals but the same could not be explored properly owing to lack of facilities. The minister assured the officials to approve special package for construction of roads to the mines.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2018